


One Step at a Time

by haldoor



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-05
Updated: 2015-07-26
Packaged: 2018-04-07 18:48:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 2,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4274082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> None for the show<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> I do not own H50, Steve, Danny, or any dreams other than my own<br/><b>Beta:</b> Just lil ol' me<br/><b>Summary:</b> A series of double-drabbles wherein Danny has to go through some pain before finding what he's looking for<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. So Very Tired

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [An Illusion of Control](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1271720) by [haldoor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor). 



> The first double-drabble was written as a reward for [](http://galadriel34.livejournal.com/profile)[**galadriel34**](http://galadriel34.livejournal.com/) for her contribution to a [](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/)**1_million_words** weekend challenge some time ago. The rest of the story developed over the next year or so, and is now finally completed, so I am posting it as I find time. 
> 
> The 'inspired by' link is the real beginning of the story, but due to the time lapse since that, I'm starting from Chapter One of this 'new' story here.

Danny blinked several times and tried to stifle the yawn that was desperately trying to break free.

"Am I keeping you awake?" Steve asked, a frown starting, causing Chin and Kono to look up from studying photos of the latest suspect on the computer table.

"I'm just-"

"Tired?" Chin cut him off, one eyebrow lifted.

Steve's expression deepened, and he straightened, his worry obvious. "You okay, Danny?"

"I'm fine," Danny waved the concern away. "I woke in the night, and couldn't get back to sleep. Don't sweat it; when we head out to talk to this guy, your driving is bound to wake me up." He threw an 'am I right' look in Kono and Chin's direction.

Kono grinned widely in reply. "That sounds right."

Steve gave her a withering look. "Don't encourage him. I'm a good driver."

"That's what you're calling it, huh?" Danny asked, glad of the distraction.

"Never mind that. You're not sleeping? Anything I can do to help?"

"Nope, not a thing." 

Danny didn't need Steve's kind of help. Chances are it wouldn't be anywhere near what he wanted after his recent dreams, although he was pretty sure it was likely to cause more of them.

~//~


	2. Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go horribly wrong out on a case.

"Get down, Danny! Danny!" 

Steve's weight hit Danny, covering most of his body as they landed, and then there was an explosion, the ear-splitting sound of shattering glass filling his ears.

Danny closed his eyes, concentrating on drawing much-needed air into his lungs after Steve had winded him by crushing his body to the ground with the merest of warnings.

"Danny? Danny!" Steve's panicked voice came through loud and clear once Danny could hear again. He'd moved off Danny now, but hadn't gone far, his hands searching Danny for signs of life.

Danny coughed and spluttered, rolling to one side, unable to answer as he continued to gulp at air but only managed to inhale whatever was filling the space around them.

"Oh, Jesus, Danny, can you stand? We gotta get out of here… the place is burning." Strong arms wrapped around Danny's chest, half-lifting, half-dragging him through the smoke and debris and into the street.

"Steve! Thank God! Danny… is he okay?" Kono's worried voice broke through the confusion as Danny attempted to retch up everything he'd swallowed in the last few minutes. "The EMTs are on their way."

That was the last Danny heard as darkness closed in.

~//~


	3. Breathing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny wakes up in hospital

Danny's nose itched but he was having trouble scratching it. He couldn't seem to move his right hand.

"You've got to be okay, Danny," he heard Steve say. "I had to push you down or you would have been hit. I didn't know…" There was anguish in the tone, and Steve's voice cracked on the last word. "I didn't mean to knock the breath out of you. They say you inhaled a lot of stuff because of it and… I… I hope you can hear me, Danno. You _gotta_ get through this. I can't lose you."

Danny tried to open his eyes, only aware as Steve let go that he'd been holding Danny's hand. Everything was blurry at first, but Danny could gradually make out Steve's broad back in front of him at the end of what looked a lot like a hospital bed. He could finally raise his hand, and managed to pull at something below his nose, a cough escaping as he gazed with curiosity at the tube he was holding.

Steve turned at the noise, relief filling his eyes as he saw that Danny was awake. "Hey. Don't do that; you need that to help you breathe."

~//~


	4. Unspoken Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Steve get to talk after Danny wakes

By the time the doctor finished checking Danny and a nurse had helped him drink some water, Steve was looking more composed. Danny was shaken by how worried he'd appeared when he first woke up.

"Typical," was the first word Danny managed, a grin quirking his lip as Steve watched the doctor leave and then came to sit next to Danny.

Steve's brows drew together in question. "What's typical?"

"In your inimitable way, you manage to turn a quick conversation with a witness into an explosion."

Steve sketched his innocence in the air. "Totally not my fault this time."

"Yeah, right. I'm thinking you looked at them wrong or something."

"Looked at them wrong?" Steve laughed. "You should be thanking me. If I hadn't seen something in my peripheral vision, you'd have been doing more than _swallowing_ dirt."

Danny let his eyes turn serious. "I know. Thank you."

Steve looked surprised for a moment, but he reached out a hand and let Danny grasp it. 

Danny could see Steve swallow hard, but he didn't speak; he just sat there, holding Danny's hand for the longest time, his eyes dark with the unspoken fear that Danny had finally learned to read.

~//~


	5. Cab Driver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny can't wait to get out of the hospital

Danny eased to his feet as Steve appeared in the doorway, glad to finally be leaving the hospital. They'd kept him in for three days in the end; worried about his breathing. They hadn't been sure what he'd inhaled and had to obtain samples of the debris and send it for testing before they were satisfied that it wasn't asbestos, or in fact anything more dangerous than a kind of plaster dust.

"I never thought I'd say this, but am I glad to see you," he told Steve as he gathered his bag.

"Hey, should you be walking? Don't they have some kind of rule about wheelchairs?" Steve's eyes were full of concern as he held up a hand as if to stop Danny.

"You're kidding me, right?" Danny tilted an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Since when did you ever leave hospital in a wheelchair?"

"That's different."

Danny huffed incredulously. "How so? You were in worse condition when we brought you back from Korea."

"I was capable of walking out."

Danny was perfectly able to use his own two feet. He waved dismissive hands in Steve's face and circled around him. "Come on; you're just the cab driver. What do you know?"

~//~


	6. Speedy Exit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny's finally home; Steve doesn't stick around

Back at his house, Danny lowered himself to the couch, surprised by how tired he felt after merely walking from his hospital bed to Steve's truck, and then inside his home from the driveway.

"You look bushed," Steve said from the doorway, Danny's bag in one hand. "You should rest. You hungry?"

"Yes, _Mom_." Danny gave Steve a withering look. "I can look after myself, you know."

Steve dumped the bag where he stood, frowning at Danny. "You were in the hospital for three days, Danny. Being tired is hardly surprising. I was thinking of making you coffee and a sandwich, not offering to fix chicken soup from scratch."

Danny nodded in concession. "The offer is duly noted, but I will be fine. Don't you have any crimes to solve?"

"As it happens, no, although I'm sure I'll get a call any time." Steve headed for the door. "Suit yourself. Just don't rush things, Danny. I'll call you later; make sure you're resting."

Before Danny could manage a retort, the door was shutting behind Steve's leaving form. Despite his words, he hadn't expected Steve to make such a speedy exit.

He blinked, fully aware of the silence settling around him.

~//~


	7. Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve isn't sure if Danny's ready to go back to work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for taking so long to get this next chapter up; life seems to have been crazy (or else it's that binge-watching of Sense8 I did yesterday!) Going to put up a second one today to make up for it.

"You sure you're ready?" Steve's eyes roamed Danny like he might see evidence of his inability to perform the job on his body somewhere.

"The doc cleared me. I have to be careful, but he said as long as you didn't shove me face down into a pile of dirt again, I should be fine."

Steve's expression went from concern to guilt in about ten seconds flat, but he didn't speak.

Danny felt contrite; sometimes he could kick himself for his fast mouth. "I didn't mean that like it sounded."

Steve didn't lose the serious appearance, but at least he didn't look quite so hang-dog. He nodded and sat down opposite Danny. "Tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow," Danny agreed. "So, a beer now?"

Steve squinted, pursing his lips. He obviously wanted to comment, but was holding something back.

"What? Don't tell me… I'm still on meds; I shouldn't be drinking."

Steve snorted. "Yeah." 

Danny made a face. "You're probably right. I'll have coffee." He got up, surprised when Steve rose again too. "I can make it myself. You can still have a beer though."

Steve lowered himself again slowly, his eyes darkening with some emotion Danny couldn't name. "Make mine coffee too."

~//~


	8. Thank You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve tells Danny what he feared; Danny thanks Steve

"What?"

Steve raised his head from where he'd been staring into his cooling coffee and frowned in question.

Danny made a 'gimme' motion with a hand. "I know you want to tell me something. Out with it."

Steve shook his head. "No, nothing."

"You scared I'm not going to like whatever it is you want to say?"

"No, it's not that… I… well, maybe."

Danny snorted, looking away for a moment. "What could be so bad that a Navy SEAL is too frightened to say out loud?"

Steve just looked at him for a while, his eyes dark with some indecipherable emotion. Unsure what was going on inside Steve's head, Danny gazed back at him, waiting.

"I thought I'd lost you."

Shaking his head, Danny put down his coffee cup. "You couldn't lose me; not like that."

"I could have. I nearly crushed you."

"You probably saved my life, crazy as it sounds, so don't be thinking that way. I'm fine now; be back to normal in no time. And… thank you."

"Thank you? For what?"

"For saving my life, idiot." Unable to say more, Danny just nodded.

Steve looked almost as overcome as Danny felt; he averted his eyes.

~//~


	9. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve seems nervous; Danny gathers his courage

"I'm gonna go now."

Danny and Steve had managed to talk about everything except the very obvious elephant in the room, and they'd barely looked at each other since Danny had thanked Steve.

"Okay," Danny agreed, though it was the last thing he wanted. He was sure that Steve didn't really want to go; didn't want to walk away from whatever it was that they were both this close to admitting, but he couldn't quite say it aloud.

Steve hadn't moved though, and Danny finally looked up from the last mouthful of cold coffee in his cup, narrowing his eyes in curiosity. "Something wrong, babe?"

"I could… that is… maybe I…" 

Their eyes finally met, and Steve looked…

He looked scared; there was no other way to describe the expression in his eyes.

"What?" Danny was worried now; had Steve had some bad news or something?

"It doesn't matter," Steve said quickly, rubbing his palms against his pants as he stood up. "I'll swing by for you up in the morning."

"Steve…" Danny stood up too, reaching out a hand and just barely touching Steve's arm.

A shiver went through Steve, and then he stood very still.

"Stay?" Danny asked.

~//~


	10. Nervous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's hot when he's nervous; it makes Danny brave for some reason

"Are you sure it's what you want?" Steve had never seemed more nervous.

Danny found his anxiousness more endearing than he should have; normally when they were arguing, Steve was way more confident, and it drove Danny nuts. He grinned and moved closer, running his fingers lightly up Steve's arm, a thrill running right through him when Steve shivered again. "You know it is."

"But it might be because-"

"Because I'm interested in you as more than a friend?"

"No, because… because…" Steve looked down as Danny drew closer still, but he didn't move away.

"Because you're hot when you're this unsure?"

"I'm not." Steve's expression changed subtly, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Am I?"

Danny's lip quirked upward as he nodded. Steve's uncertainty had brought out Danny's confidence; when he thought it was just him feeling this, he had been equally nervous, but now it looked like they were in accord – even if, but mainly because, Steve couldn't see it – he was ready.

He let his fingers reach the back of Steve's neck, then drew the man slowly in his direction to whisper in his ear, "I think you'd look better naked and in my bed."

~//~


	11. Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny was right about how good Steve looked, naked and in his bed

Danny was right; Steve looked better naked in his bed. He gave the sprawled figure an appreciative look as Steve smiled at him like he couldn't believe they hadn't done this earlier.

Danny ditched the last item of clothing he'd been wearing, moving onto the bed and over Steve, connecting their lips as his hand found Steve's heated cock. "You don't know how long I waited for this," he murmured, stroking the firmness in an easy rhythm.

"You did?" Steve muttered, plunging his tongue inside Danny's mouth without waiting for an answer.

Danny didn't care about answering; all he wanted to do was kiss Steve forever. Continuing to rock into Steve, Danny loved the silky feel of Steve's cock over its inherent strength. His own cock pressed into the space left between the top of Steve's right thigh and where his body joined it, sweat lubricating enough to appreciate every thrust forward.

Steve pulled away from Danny's mouth, gulping for air as he arched in ecstasy, his come flooding over Danny's hand and onto his own belly. The thrill of Steve losing it due to his touch sent Danny plunging into his own orgasm; nothing had _ever_ felt so right.

~//~


	12. Satisfaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neither Steve nor Danny can stop grinning

Danny lay on his left side, propped up on an elbow looking down at an extremely sated and sexy-looking Steve. Mere days ago he hadn't believed he'd ever be in this position; only his imagination had managed to look this good.

But this _was_ real, and he and Steve were in his bed after having sex together for the first time. Okay, so it wasn't full penetration, but they'd both come, and it'd been the most incredible thing Danny had experienced since he arrived in Hawaii. That had more to do with him being so… so head over heels in love with Steve than anything else, he guessed.

"Stop looking at me like that." Steve's voice was a full octave lower than Danny had ever heard it before. 

Danny grinned at the knowledge that _he_ had made that happen.

"Jesus, Danny; is there something on my face?"

"Oh yeah, babe, there is."

"What is it?"

"Satisfaction."

Steve laughed at that, and pulled Danny onto his chest, kissing softly at his lips as he ran a hand through Danny's hair, messing it up. Strangely, Danny didn't care.

"Don't worry, it's on your face too," Steve murmured between kisses.

"Yeah, it is."

~//~


	13. No Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The relationship is new, but Danny doesn't doubt a single thing about it

A week of being in and out of each other's beds, in between work – now Danny was recovered enough to be able to return to duty – only confirmed how right being together was.

Chin and Kono had noticed the difference too, and while Danny wasn't sure they should say anything about their very new relationship yet, Steve had – surprisingly – come to the opposite conclusion and told the cousins as soon as they questioned the happiness he and Steve had both been sporting recently.

Chin and Kono were pleased for them – Danny thought it was almost as if they'd been expecting the news, which was more than he had.

"Hey," Steve said to him as they drove home together at the end of that week.

"Yeah?" 

"You realize you haven't criticized me all week?"

Danny hadn't noticed; he'd been too busy basking in new love. "I haven't?"

"Maybe it's because…" Steve paused, flicking an uncertain look in Danny's direction.

"I love you." It wasn't even a question from Danny, risky though it was so soon.

But the smile it caused on Steve's face made it totally worth it.

"I love you too, Danny."

And that was all Danny needed to hear.

~//~


	14. More Than Illusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny realises that he's reached full circle

"Right… there!" There was desperation in Steve's voice. 

Danny slowed his movements. "What do you want, babe?"

"Please... don't stop. So close... please?"

"Please, what?" Danny removed his fingers completely as he reached for the condom beside him, and tore the packet open.

"You know what!" Steve looked over his shoulder at Danny, his eyes livid with desire.

Holding the opened condom in one hand, Danny spread his arms apart in question. "As it happens, I do know what, but without the magic set of words, you may be waiting a while."

Danny felt the weirdest sense of déjà vu, and then he remembered: he'd dreamed this exact scene a few weeks ago. That was before he'd known exactly how much of a bottom slut Steve was. The thought made his grin widen, and he gazed expectantly at Steve.

Steve rolled his eyes, but he spoke the words, his voice low and seductive: "Fuck me, Danny, please, now?"

This time, the dream didn't shatter; Danny didn't wake up. He slipped the condom over his cock and slid it home inside Steve's prepared body where it belonged.

Danny rocked them both into orgasm; the reality so much better than his dreams.

~//~//~

END


End file.
